Fully immersive simulation of endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. In April 2012, the first course using fully immersive virtual reality simulation in Orcamp was run at St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College London.  Twenty-five participants, including consultant and trainee endovascular specialists, radiographers and nurses, attended a two-day programme, encompassing communication, resuscitation, technical endovascular and team skills in simulated environments.  During this time participants were familiarized with the fully immersive simulated hybrid angiosuite of Orcamp (Orzone, Sweden) and had the opportunity to practice elective and ruptured endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) on virtual reality simulators.  The course culminated in teams performing a simulated EVAR for a ruptured aortic aneurysm in Orcamp. 

OR-team event

Two VIST-C (Mentice, Sweden) virtual reality simulators together with an ECG simulator were integrated with the simulated environment, allowing the endovascular specialist and their teams to engage in deliberate practice of not only technical endovascular wire, catheter and fluoroscopy skills, but also human factor skills, such as communication, planning, teamwork and leadership.  The simulated scenario was facilitated by anaesthetists and operating department technicians together with simulation experts.  The dynamic patient representation allowed by the technology and staged external stressors by the facilitating team were used to challenge the team’s clinical judgment and decision-making during the scenario. 

Results will be published

Face-validity of the simulated environment was evaluated by all participants on a post-procedural questionnaire. Realism of the simulated angiosuite was scored highly by all team members. Participants found the immersive environment useful for acquiring technical skills and particularly suited as a learning environment for teamwork and communication.  Real-time error recording and post-hoc video analysis of technical and team skills were also performed, results of which will be published shortly.

Course coordinators: Dr Nung Rudarakanchana, Dr Isabelle Van Herzeele, Dr Collin Bicknell, Dr Nathalie Courtois, Prof Nick Cheshire and Dr Mo Hamady.

Lecture at CIRSE

Dr Mo Hamady and Dr Nung Rudarakanchana part of the course coordinators team will participate at CIRSE Lisabon Sep. 15th-19th 2012. Dr. Nung Rudarakanchana will lecture on Mon 17th in session FP2009 (Room 3.B) at 4:45-5:45pm in the “Late breaking abstracts session” - topic; Endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: technical and team training in an immersive, virtual reality environment by N. Rudarakanchana, I. Van Herzeele, C. Bicknell, C.V. Riga, N. Courtois, A. Rolls, N. Cheshire, M.S. Hamady; London/UK. 

For contacting Imperial College, London : 

Dr Mo Hamady MBChB FRCR
Consultant interventional radiologist Senior Lecturer (Hons)-Imperial College
St Mary's Campus W2 1NY
Tel: 00442078866273 Mobile:00447780705696

ps. if you want to talk to Orzone during CIRSE this year, please make sure to step by simulation Gallery. Our team member Mr. Daniel Svensson will be there! 

All images are by courtesy of Imperial College NHS Trust, London UK